Johnnie St. Vrain: Weld County resident wants a flashing yellow arrow

By Johnnie St. Vrain

Posted:
12/20/2012 07:17:27 PM MST

Updated:
12/20/2012 07:18:16 PM MST

Dear Johnnie: Who do I talk to about getting a flashing turn signal at Highway 119 and Weld County Road 31/2, turning north? The new light at 119 and WCR 51/2 has one, and I think we at Longview mobile home park need one also. -- Derek

Dear Derek: That would be the Colorado Department of Transportation. But I went ahead and contacted them for you.

Spokeswoman Ashley Mohr replied:

"The flashing yellows are very new to northeast Colorado and are somewhat of a luxury," she wrote. "They have been installed on an experimental basis in a few areas, and we won't be installing any more until we work out some hardware and software issues that have arisen with the few that we have so far. We also need to collect data at the intersections where we have the flashing yellows to make sure they are improving safety (as they were intended to do)."

So, Derek, it might be a while before you see a flashing yellow light at your intersection. And about those "hardware and software issues," Mohr said: "Basically, the software/hardware that programs the signs is not compatible with the software/hardware we already own. To get the two systems to 'talk to each other' requires conversions that only a few CDOT employees know how to do. We had someone in that area of the state who could do it, but he moved for another opportunity elsewhere. So now we are trying to figure out what other options we have."

Meanwhile drive carefully, especially when taking a left turn at that intersection.

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